One of the more peculiar accidents in British colonial minting, this piece pairs an Edward VIII obverse die — prepared in anticipation of his reign following George V's death in January 1936 — with a reverse die intended for British West Africa's 10 cent coinage. Edward's abdication in December 1936 rendered nearly all prepared dies obsolete before official strikes could be authorized, and the Royal Mint's scramble to retool for George VI created conditions where mule combinations could slip through. Confirmed examples are rare, and the precise circumstances of this particular die marriage remain imperfectly documented.
One of the more peculiar accidents in British colonial minting, this piece pairs an Edward VIII obverse die — prepared in anticipation of his reign following George V's death in January 1936 — with a reverse die intended for British West Africa's 10 cent coinage. Edward's abdication in December 1936 rendered nearly all prepared dies obsolete before official strikes could be authorized, and the Royal Mint's scramble to retool for George VI created conditions where mule combinations could slip through. Confirmed examples are rare, and the precise circumstances of this particular die marriage remain imperfectly documented.